Mayor Potter and street renaming
I’m sitting here reading the PortlandOnline RSS feed when I come across a link to a Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard in Portland, Oregon petition. Normally when clicking on an RSS article, it takes you to PortlandOnline, but this one took me to a pro-rename petition. I disagree with the re-naming and as I am learning more about how the proponents of the rename are going about the process, the more I get angry with it. According to the process, they should fill out an application, which they have not done yet. Further, to make me even more incensed, the link is on Mayor Potter’s sidebar – ergo it got into the RSS feed. Grrrrr.
There are plenty of streets in N. Portland that could be renamed – Commercial, Congress, Haight etc. Why pick one of the most heavily traveled?
Amy over at Portland Mercury has her take on it.
If I get a No on Rename petition put together, will you host it in your sidebar Mayor Potter? It is only fair.
I think the reason they picked N. Interstate is because its just plain outdated and incorrect. Interstate is in fact not an interstate road and as a map maker I am all for the change.
As a commenter over on Blogtown told us a few weeks ago, this is the history of Interstate’s name:
“As far as Interstate goes, it is part of Portland history-formerly Patton Avenue, it was named because it became the city-center connection to the Interstate Bridge crossing (though the street that actually linked to the bridge was Denver Avenue).”
Interstate still joins, via Denver, the bridge that connects us to Washington.
Interstate was once the interstate highway between Oregon and Washington. Thus it is a historical name. Why do street names in North Portland always have to be changed. I think Southwest Portland could use some reminders about diversity. Maybe S.W. Broadway should become Cesar Chavez Boulevard?
Nothing should be named after Cesar Chavez.
Street renaming is a waste of time and money…
God I hope Potter leaves office soon… could there possibly be a worst Mayor then him?
I am still pissed that “Rosa Parks” replaced “Portland”. I mean come on, “Portland” is the name of our city for crying out loud.
Rename something else, like one of the numbered streets or something. Or just name a *new* street and keep the old names in tact.
I hate street renaming.
Hear hear. I’ve mentioned this before, but if they’re going to rename a street, how about for someone local? They managed it once for Naito Parkway, maybe they can do it again?
Nothing against Rosa Parks or MLK but to me those streets will always be Portland Boulevard and Union Avenue – and if I remember correctly, Union Avenue was named for the winning side in the Civil War so that has historical significance as well.
Given the needs of our community I think we have more important matters to attend to than renaming and re-signing streets.